


Beautiful Boy, How I Love You So

by CastielFollowMe



Series: Single Dad Shiro Verse [14]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Babysitting, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Twins confuse Keith, Uncle Kuro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-17
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-02-03 16:14:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12751761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CastielFollowMe/pseuds/CastielFollowMe
Summary: It's the first time that Kuro has ever been entrusted to watch his nephew since his rescue. All he has to prove is that he is capable of watching a three-year-old to his annoying brother, Takashi. Right?





	Beautiful Boy, How I Love You So

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt by Dola625: "Kuro babysitting. Bet you get this one demanding often. How will keith react to being left alone with a look a like of his Daddy. Will he continue to mix Kuro up with Shiro or will Keith know Kuro nots his daddy but forgets and demand things of Kuro that Shiro knows but Kuro doesn't understand.  
> Oh I can't help but ask for some Shiro Kuro brotherly fluff story. That would be awesome. To see them when they were younger or growing up. Like pre-army kind of thing.   
> Also have you done a story yet of when keith asks where babies come from? You could have it when Kuro is over/ calls over the phone since hes in rehab and he makes an off comment about babies and Keith then asks Shiro where babies come from.   
> Thanks for reading reply if you need me to clarify anything. Also sorry for the three prompts but you are so much better at writing then me and I love your stories.   
> Also may I just ask but Kuro and Shiro when they went to war which country did they go to?"

               The first time that Kuro was instructed to babysit Keith, he was a nervous wreck. Actually, so was Shiro and pretty much everyone else. Though, Shiro was more nervous because he’d never left his son alone for more than a couple hours with his parents.

               However, Kuro had agreed to babysit his nephew without even thinking, only six months after he returned home from the hospital and from being a prisoner. Only afterward, did Kuro have a panic attack the size of Europe, and his house was vaguely torn apart before he called his therapist. He was ashamed to say that he didn’t tell Shiro about his freak out and instead sulked in his apartment every day until the day he was set to babysit Keith.

               On that day, Kuro shaved, took a shower and dressed in a simple t-shirt with dark jeans and boots. He looked more put together than he had in days, and his heart was racing in his chest. Every step towards Shiro’s house left him breathless as if he were running a marathon, and when Shiro had opened the front door only to _smile_ at his twin brother, Kuro felt the air leave his lungs.

               “Right on time!” Shiro grinned. “Come in, come in.” Shiro ushered his twin brother in, causing Kuro to chuckle to himself. Awkwardly, he shuffled into the doorway and glanced around the house to all the rooms he could see from the front door. He’d been in Shiro’s house only a handful of times, but he was still amazed every time he went. Shiro had done well for himself and his house was a familiar feeling of _home._

               “Keith’s down taking a nap right now. So, you should have some time to yourself for about an hour more. He’ll most likely be up by them, and he doesn’t really like to wait for long before you get him.” Shiro explained quickly. He pushed his brother into the kitchen when Kuro did nothing but gawk before fixing Kuro’s favorite drink.

               “Okay?” Kuro scratched his neck. “Um, so about how long will you be gone?”

               “Oh, I’m not going anywhere.” Shiro finally said, turning around to face his brother. Kuro blinked, unsure if he had heard Shiro right. _He was babysitting but Shiro wasn’t leaving?_ Quickly, a frown overcame his face and he huffed in the direction of Shiro.

               “Why the fuck am I babysitting if you don’t plan on leaving?” Kuro bit out. Shiro sighed, shoulders slumping before sitting his brother down at the table.

               “Look, I don’t mean to make you feel like I don’t trust you or that you’re unworthy of watching your nephew,” Shiro explained as he set a drink down in front of Kuro. Kuro bitterly took the drink, cursing Shiro for making his favorite. He was still mad at his brother. “Keith is my baby, so I understand how much of a handful he can be. But, well, this isn’t just a problem for you. I’ve _never_ been away from Keith for more than a couple of hours. Ever. Not even with mom or dad, and typically they come over here to watch Keith. However, I’ve actually got a lot that I need to get done around the house and having a three-year-old takes both eyes, hands, and feet. With you here, even if I’m not going anywhere, I can still get a lot done since you’ll be watching him for me.”

               Kuro grudgingly admitted that Shiro had a good point.

               “Kuro, I trust you and you know this. But you’ve only been home for less than a year. I know you still have episodes and that when I asked you, it probably threw you in a panic attack,” Shiro said quietly, eyes trained on the table instead of Kuro. Kuro felt his entire body become rigid. _How did he know?_ “I only say that because of the night before I was on the flight to adopt Keith, I was having a meltdown. I nearly backed out and it was thanks to mom and dad I didn’t.”

               Kuro blinked. He couldn’t begin to imagine Shiro’s life without Keith.

               “Plus, I know that children are a handful, especially Keith. I figured you could come over for a few times, watching him while I’m working around the house and eventually, _maybe_ I’ll let you watch him while I’m out of the house. Though, I’m sure mom and dad would be very jealous.” Shiro chuckled and Kuro couldn’t help but laugh too.

               The two sat quietly for another minute. “You really aren’t doing this because you don’t trust me?”

               “Kuro,” Shiro gently placed a hand on Kuro’s shoulders and looked straight at him until Kuro finally met his eyes. “I trust you more than anyone in my life. But, Keith is very important to me and it’s hard for me to let go sometimes. Just as you’re learning to be an uncle, I’m still learning with him too.” He smiled gently when Kuro felt tears prick in his eyes before Kuro was shaking off Shiro’s hands gruffly.

               “Alright, alright, no more sappy moments. We’re men. We don’t do sap.” Kuro downed the rest of his drink and stood up, much to Shiro’s amusement. It was then that Kuro could hear tiny noises, sounding like snuffs and coos coming from somewhere and he swallowed.

               “Ah, that would be my baby,” Shiro grinned fondly, reaching over to grab the baby monitor on the counter. “Alright babysitter, you’re on Keith duty starting now.” With that, Shiro shoved Kuro up towards the stairs and Kuro began his climb, sending a last-minute prayer above before he reached Keith’s room.

x.V.x

               Keith was unique.

               That’s the word that Shiro was looking for. He would _never_ say anything else about his nephew and if anyone else said anything else, Kuro would beat them into the pavement. Then Shiro would be disappointed. And Keith would probably be scared.

               To Kuro, Keith was unique. He was a very quiet toddler. Only making soft noises or coos, rather than babbling or saying words. Granted, Kuro had never been around many children or babies since he’d grown up but he was pretty sure that by Keith’s age, most would be talking non-stop. Also, Keith was very picky when it came to the clothes he wore, the blankets he dragged or the food he ate.

               Kuro was almost driven to tears when Keith refused to eat his PB & J sandwich. _All kids like PB & J, right?_ To top it all off, Keith was constantly holding out his hands or pointing and giving Kuro a look of such disappointment, as if Kuro should already know this.

               Luckily, Shiro had stopped by the kitchen to grab a drink before finishing shelves in the dining room, when he saw Keith’s refusal to eat his lunch.

               “He always has triangles when I cut his sandwich and he _hates_ crust,” Shiro explained before leaving Kuro alone with the pouting toddler once again. As Kuro cut Keith’s sandwich, he was grumbling and cursing all the while under his breath.

               “Your stupid daddy is doing this just to fucking laugh at my expense,” Kuro grumbled, but thankfully Keith clapped and shoved a triangle in his mouth quickly. His uncle breathed a sigh of relief and slumped back in his chair while Keith ate.

               “Don’t tell your daddy I’ve been saying these words to you,” Kuro mumbled quickly. “He would kill me and then you wouldn’t have a favorite uncle.”

               After lunch, Keith and Kuro sat in the playroom, with Keith making a mess of his toys and playing with everything he could get his hands on. However, he often stopped to stare at Kuro, before holding out two hands and shaking them.

               Kuro was confused and slightly alarmed.

               “Shiro, he’s being weird and shaking his hands!” Kuro yelled in the room. Keith clamped a hand over his ears and glared darkly at Kuro. For a split second, Kuro was _scared_ of the three-year-old.

               “He wants his stuffed lions. He thinks you should already know this.” Shiro answered from across the house and Kuro groaned. Apparently, Keith was still confused about Kuro and Shiro being two _separate_ people.

               Once the lion situation was solved, Keith was relatively quiet. He would hand Kuro several toys over the time they spent playing and Kuro kept every single one of them on his lap, in case Keith glared at him again. Then Keith was making grabby hands at Kuro’s prosthetic.

               This made Kuro freeze. There were many things that Kuro was sensitive about since returning from captivity. One of those were people touching his prosthetics. No matter who it was. Kuro was the one who took them on and off, cleaned them or repaired them. No one else touched them. Or else, they would suffer a possible outburst from Kuro during a flashback.

               Kuro was frozen on the floor while Keith fiddle with his prosthetic, obviously trying to get it off. Every second that Keith spends touching his arm, Kuro felt his skin crawling and his chest constricting. A buzzing filled his ears and his heart hammered in his chest.

               Still, Keith was oblivious to Kuro’s tension. He slowly began to hit the arm in frustration.

               “Shiro…” Kuro knew his voice must have been too quiet for Shiro to hear. Though, he didn’t think it was possible for him to be any louder in that moment. “Shiro. Shiro, you need to get him away from me. Shiro.”

               _Pat. Pat. Pat._ Little fingers grabbed at his prosthetic and they felt like knives digging into his flesh, tearing off the bone.

               “Shiro…”

               _Pat. Pat. Pat._

               Kuro was still frozen to the ground, unable to move and his entire body was screaming at him with a feeling of discomfort. However, he vaguely realized that the fingers had stopped patting his arm and there wasn’t the presence of a small body anymore besides him. Through the buzzing in his ears, he could hear small whimpers and his throat squeezed shut. _You’re not there. You’re not there. You’re in Takashi’s house. You’re safe at home._

               “Oh god, Kuro, I’m so sorry,” Shiro’s voice slowly floated through Kuro’s muddled thoughts. Numbly, he looked around until he saw Shiro kneeling several feet away from Kuro. Keith was wriggling and crying quietly in his arms, but Shiro kept a _tight_ grip on his son. His eyes were swimming with guilt, continuously darting back between Keith and Kuro. He looked hesitant on whether to comfort Keith’s tears or help his brother down from an attack.

               “I forgot he does that, I’m so sorry! I would have warned you and kept a better eye on him, but I forgot.” Shiro apologized over and over. Kuro’s heart was still racing, and his mind was buzzing. He still felt numb but at least his breathing was returning to normal.

               It took too long before Kuro was able to speak. He still couldn’t move, and Shiro had knelt across from him the entire time. Keith was still trying to squirm out of Shiro’s arms as he looked at his dad and then Kuro.

               “What – what was he – what was he doing?” Kuro licked his lips and Shiro’s heart sunk.

               “I’m sorry Kuro. I really forgot. He’s familiar with my arm,” Shiro shakily rose his own prosthetic up to show Kuro. “And he understands that it hurts. So sometimes when we cuddle, or usually before bed, Keith will attempt to take my arm off and let it air out. He knows that when I take it off, it sometimes feels better.”

               Kuro was silent.

               “He’s not – not afraid – he’s not afraid?” Kuro asked hoarsely and Shiro shook his head quickly.

               “No. He was curious as a baby, but he’s seen it now, pretty much his whole life.” Shiro admitted softly. Finally, he looked away from Kuro to glance down at Keith and smooth down some of his dark hair. Keith whined but leaned into the touch. “He’s getting smarter and understanding how it works and he’s watched me take in on and put it off.”

               Kuro slowly felt the constriction in his chest become lighter and lighter. His body was no longer shaking, and his breathing was nearly back to normal.

               “Kuro, I’m sorry this happened.” Shiro apologized softly. Kuro didn’t say anything else in response. Instead, he focused his attention on Keith, who was staring at Kuro with big, tearful, blue eyes. His cheeks were puffed out and red from crying.

               “It’s okay. You can let him go.” Kuro finally said. Shiro recoiled in surprise and hesitated. “Shiro, I’m fine and I promise I won’t freak out again. Let him go.” Shiro swallowed but slowly released his hold on Keith.

               The three-year-old slumped to the floor before realizing that he was no longer in Shiro’s grip. Quickly, his tears dried, and he turned to glare at _both_ Shiro and Kuro. With a huff and a determined pout, Keith was grabbing at Shiro’s arm and tapping on the prosthetic until Shiro finally unhitched it and removed it fully. Kuro’s stomach sank violently upon seeing the scarred stump that used to be his brother’s arm.

               Keith beamed, satisfied, and then pressed several tiny kisses along Shiro’s stump. Shiro smiled fondly and laughed at the tickling sensation.

               “Thanks, baby,” He said quietly. Keith nodded as if agreeing and then toddled over to Kuro. Shiro bit his lip, hand twitching at his side. Kuro remained stiff where he was but he didn’t feel as if he were going into another panic attack.

               His stomach recoiled sharply when Keith began to tap his prosthetic and made grabbing motions. _I can’t do. I can’t do it._ Keith’s cheeks puffed out with frustration and his face started to become red.

               “Keith, sweetheart,”

               “Shiro,” Kuro finally said after a long moment of silence. “He’s fine. I’m fine.” Then ever so slowly, Kuro unlatched the prosthetic on his arm with shaking fingers. He hesitated before sliding the prosthetic off when Keith pulled at the prosthetic once more with force. Shiro almost jumped up, ready to scold Keith until he saw that Kuro wasn’t reacting negatively.

               Finally, the prosthetic was off entirely and on the floor. Keith seemed pleased with the results and clapped rapidly. Kuro’s stump was much shorter than Shiro’s and stopped nearer to his shoulder than his elbow. And he had _many_ more scars.

               Kuro rubbed at his scars, only to freeze when he felt the teeniest, tiniest butterfly kisses being pressed to his stump and to each and every one of his scars. He glanced down to see it was Keith pressing those kisses to him and his heart stopped.

               Yet, he wasn’t…afraid.

               He wasn’t headed for a panic attack or feeling trapped in his own skin. He didn’t feel like flashbacks were about to take over his reality. Instead, he felt calm. Happy. _Free._

               Shiro suddenly sat down beside Kuro, reaching over to wipe away a stray tear that had fallen down Kuro’s cheek, smiling so wide that it was almost infectious. He laughed as he pulled Keith onto his lap, earning squeals from Keith, with Kuro calmly watching them without his prosthetic on for the first time.

               “You’ve got a beautiful boy Takashi.” Kuro finally whispered. He saw the absolute love and devotion in Shiro’s eyes that reflected in Keith’s bright eyes and he couldn’t help but smile.

               “Yeah. I do.”


End file.
